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Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a significant impact on the global population, particularly on individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). COVID-19 patients with CKD will face a considerably higher risk of mortality than the general population. This study developed a predictive model for assessing mortality in COVID-19-affected CKD patients, providing personalized risk prediction to optimize clinical management and reduce mortality rates. We developed machine learning algorithms to analyze 219 patients’ clinical laboratory test data retrospectively. The performance of each model was assessed using a calibration curve, decision curve analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. It was found that the LightGBM model showed the most satisfied performance, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.833, sensitivity of 0.952, and specificity of 0.714. Prealbumin, neutrophil percent, respiratory index in arterial blood, half-saturated pressure of oxygen, carbon dioxide in serum, glucose, neutrophil count, and uric acid were the top 8 significant variables in the prediction model. Validation by 46 patients demonstrated acceptable accuracy. This model can serve as a powerful tool for screening CKD patients at high risk of COVID-19-related mortality and providing decision support for clinical staff, enabling efficient allocation of resources, and facilitating timely and targeted management for those who need the relevant interference urgently.

Abstract Pyroptosis, a typical inflammatory cell death mode, has been increasingly demonstrated to have therapeutic value in inflammatory diseases such as sepsis. However, the mechanisms and therapeutic targets of sepsis remain elusive. Here, we reported that REGγ inhibition promoted pyroptosis by regulating members of the gasdermin family in macrophages. Mechanistically, REGγ directly degraded Bim, a factor of the Bcl-2 family that can inhibit the cleavage of GSDMD/E, ultimately preventing the occurrence of pyroptosis. Furthermore, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis model mice showed downregulation of REGγ at both the RNA and protein levels. Gasdermin-mediated pyroptosis was augmented in REGγ-knockout mice, and these mice exhibited more severe sepsis-related tissue injury. More importantly, we found that REGγ expression was downregulated in clinical sepsis samples, such as those from patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection. Finally, PA-infected mice showed decreased REGγ levels in the lung. In summary, our study reveals that the REGγ-Bim-GSDMD/E pathway is a novel regulatory mechanism of pyroptosis in sepsis-related tissue injury.

Abstract During the treatment of 89 pediatric patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at the Hematology Department of Kunming Medical University’s Children’s Hospital from 2020 to 2023, three patients were identified to co-express the NUP98-NSD1, FLT3-ITD, and WT1 gene mutations. The bone marrow of these three patients was screened for high-risk genetic mutations using NGS and qPCR at the time of diagnosis. The treatment was administered following the China Children’s Leukemia Group (CCLG)-AML-2019 protocol. All three patients exhibited a fusion of the NUP98 exon 12 with the NSD1 exon 6 and co-expressed the FLT3-ITD and WT1 mutations; two of the patients displayed normal karyotypes, while one presented chromosomal abnormalities. During the induction phase of the CCLG-AML-2019 treatment protocol, the DAH (Daunorubicin, Cytarabine, and Homoharringtonine) and IAH (Idarubicin, Cytarabine, and Homoharringtonine) regimens, in conjunction with targeted drug therapy, did not achieve remission. Subsequently, the patients were shifted to the relapsed/refractory chemotherapy regimen C + HAG (Cladribine, Homoharringtonine, Cytarabine, and G-CSF) for two cycles, which also failed to induce remission. One patient underwent Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (Haplo-HSCT) and achieved complete molecular remission during a 12-month follow-up period. Regrettably, the other two patients, who did not receive transplantation, passed away. The therapeutic conclusion is that pediatric AML patients with the aforementioned co-expression do not respond to chemotherapy. Non-remission transplantation, supplemented with tailor-made pre- and post-transplant strategies, may enhance treatment outcomes.

Faults and collapse columns are some of the main hidden dangers affecting the coal mining above confined aquifers, which structure is composed of crushed stones and argillaceous fillings (mud-rock slurry), and thus is very complex. Therefore, the determination of their permeability is usually based on qualitative analysis, lacking quantitative models. Seepage experiments were conducted to study the nonlinear seepage law in order to study the quantitative calculation method of the permeability of complex crushed rocks with mud-rock slurry in this study. A mathematical model for nonlinear seepage in the crushed rocks was established. The influence of clay composition and mud filling effect on the permeability was considered in the model of calculating permeability for the crushed rocks. The model is based on the fractal theory of porous medium and nonlinear seepage theory. The accuracy of the mathematical model was validated by comparing the calculation results from the mathematical model with the experimental results. The results show that: ①The particle size distribution of the crushed zone of collapse columns has a fractal law. The fractured rock mass containing clay particles undergoes a process of argillization when encountering water, resulting in an increase in the fractal dimension. The process fills the large pores in the large particles, reducing the permeability of the crushed rocks. ②The critical pressure gradient at the onset of nonlinearity increases as the permeability of crushed rocks decreases, indicating that the nonlinear critical pressure gradient can be used to quantify the water barrier capacity of the crushed rocks; ③The experimental results of the critical pressure gradient at the onset of nonlinearity are consistent with the calculated results from the mathematical model, which verifies the accuracy of the model. The mathematical model first tries to consider the influence of clay composition and mud filling on the permeability, which provides a new quantitative method for the permeability of complex crushed rocks with mud-rock slurry, and a new research approach for the water barrier performance of geological structures under special mining conditions such as the coal seam under and above confined aquifers.

IntroductionThis study aimed to investigate the role of Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) in the drug sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, with a focus on its impact on autophagy and resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent osimertinib. The study hypothesized that NNMT knockdown would enhance drug sensitivity by modifying autophagic processes, providing a potential new therapeutic target for overcoming chemoresistance in lung cancer.MethodsProteomic analysis was utilized to identify changes in protein expression following NNMT knockdown in H1975 and H1975 osimertinib resistance (H1975OR) lung cancer cell lines. Gene expression patterns and their correlation with NNMT expression in lung cancer patients were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Additionally, a predictive model for lung cancer survival was developed via lasso regression analysis based on NNMT-associated gene expression. Drug sensitivity was assessed using the IC50 values and apoptosis ratio, and autophagy was evaluated through Western blot and flow cytometric analysis.ResultsSignificant variations in the expression of 1,182 proteins were observed following NNMT knockdown, with a significant association with autophagy-related genes. Analysis of gene expression patterns unveiled a significant correlation between NNMT expression and specific changes in gene expression in lung cancer. The predictive model successfully forecasted lung cancer patient survival outcomes, highlighting the potential of NNMT-associated genes in predicting patient survival. Knockdown of NNMT reversed osimertinib resistance in H1975 cells, as evidenced by altered IC50 values and apoptosis ratio, and changes were observed in autophagy markers.DiscussionKnockdown of NNMT in lung cancer cells enhances drug sensitivity by modulating autophagy, providing a promising therapeutic target to overcome chemoresistance in NSCLC. The study underscores the importance of NNMT in lung cancer pathology and underscores its potential as a predictive marker for clinical outcomes. Additionally, the developed predictive model further supports the clinical relevance of NNMT-associated gene expression in improving the prognosis of lung cancer patients.

Abstract Background Eccentric muscle contraction can cause muscle damage, which reduces the efficiency of exercise. Previous evidence suggested that Sodium salicylate (SS) could improve the repair of aged muscle. This study intends to investigate whether SS can impact skeletal muscle damage caused by eccentric exercise. Methods Eccentric treadmill exercise was performed to induce muscle damage in mice. Plasma levels of muscle damage markers were estimated. RT-qPCR was employed for detecting mRNA levels of proinflammatory mediators in murine gastrocnemius muscle. Immunofluorescence staining of laminin/DAPI was utilized for quantifying centrally nucleated myofibers in the gastrocnemius muscle. Western blotting was implemented to examine protein levels of mitsugumin 53 (MG53), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/9, and NF-κB signaling-related markers. Results SS administration reduced muscle damage marker production in the plasma and decreased the levels of proinflammatory mediators, MG53 and MMP-2/9 in mice after exercise. SS alleviated the severity of muscle damage in the gastrocnemius of mice after eccentric exercise. SS blocked NF-κB signaling pathway in the gastrocnemius muscle. Conclusion SS administration ameliorates skeletal muscle damage caused by eccentric exercise in the mouse model.

Moisture is the most important environmental factor limiting seed regeneration of shrubs in desert areas. Therefore, understanding the effects of moisture changes on seed germination, morphological and physiological traits of shrubs is essential for vegetation restoration in desert areas. In March to June 2023, in a greenhouse using the potting method, we tested the effects of soil moisture changes (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) on seed germination and seedling growth of six desert shrubs (Zygophyllum xanthoxylum, Nitraria sibirica, Calligonum mongolicum, Corethrodendron scoparium, Caragana korshinskii, and Corethrodendron fruticosu). Results showed that (1) seed germination percent and vigor index were significantly higher at 15 and 20% soil moisture content than at 5 and 10%; (2) shoot length, primary root length, specific leaf area and biomass of seedlings were significantly higher in the 15% and 20% soil moisture content treatments than in the 5% and 10% treatments; (3) superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and soluble protein content (SP) decreased with decreasing soil water content, while peroxidase activity (POD) and catalase activity (CAT) showed a decreasing and then increasing trend with increasing soil water content; (4) the six seeds and seedling of shrubs were ranked in order of their survivability in response to changes in soil moisture: Caragana korshinskii > Zygophyllum xanthoxylum > Calligonum mongolicum > Corethrodendron scoparium > Corethrodendron fruticosu > Nitraria sibirica. Our study shows that shrub seedlings respond to water changes by regulating morphological and physiological traits together. More importantly, we found that C. korshinskii, Z. xanthoxylum and C. mongolicum were more survivable when coping with water deficit or extreme precipitation. The results of the study may provide a reference for the selection and cultivation of similar shrubs in desert areas under frequent extreme droughts in the future.

Abstract Background A series of studies have demonstrated the emerging involvement of transfer RNA (tRNA) processing during the progression of tumours. Nevertheless, the roles and regulating mechanisms of tRNA processing genes in neuroblastoma (NB), the prevalent malignant tumour outside the brain in children, are yet unknown. Methods Analysis of multi‐omics results was conducted to identify crucial regulators of downstream tRNA processing genes. Co‐immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry methods were utilised to measure interaction between proteins. The impact of transcriptional regulators on expression of downstream genes was measured by dual‐luciferase reporter, chromatin immunoprecipitation, western blotting and real‐time quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) methods. Studies have been conducted to reveal impact and mechanisms of transcriptional regulators on biological processes of NB. Survival differences were analysed using the log‐rank test. Results c‐Myc was identified as a transcription factor driving tRNA processing gene expression and subsequent malate‐aspartate shuttle (MAS) in NB cells. Mechanistically, c‐Myc directly promoted the expression of glutamyl‐prolyl‐tRNA synthetase (EPRS) and leucyl‐tRNA synthetase (LARS), resulting in translational up‐regulation of glutamic‐oxaloacetic transaminase 1 (GOT1) as well as malate dehydrogenase 1 (MDH1) via inhibiting general control nonrepressed 2 or activating mechanistic target of rapamycin signalling. Meanwhile, lamin A (LMNA) inhibited c‐Myc transactivation via physical interaction, leading to suppression of MAS, aerobic glycolysis, tumourigenesis and aggressiveness. Pre‐clinically, lobeline was discovered as a LMNA‐binding compound to facilitate its interaction with c‐Myc, which inhibited aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetase expression, MAS and tumour progression of NB, as well as growth of organoid derived from c‐Myc knock‐in mice. Low levels of LMNA or elevated expression of c‐Myc, EPRS, LARS, GOT1 or MDH1 were linked to a worse outcome and a shorter survival time of clinical NB patients. Conclusions These results suggest that targeting c‐Myc transactivation by LMNA inhibits tRNA processing essential for MAS and tumour progression.

Abstract Background Recent evidence reveals the emerging functions of circular RNA (circRNA) and protein glycosylation in cancer progression. However, the roles of circRNA in regulating glycosyltransferase expression in gastric cancer remain to be determined. Methods Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were validated by Sanger sequencing. Co-immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, and RNA sequencing assays were applied to explore protein interaction and target genes. Gene expression regulation was observed by chromatin immunoprecipitation, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase reporter, real-time quantitative RT-PCR, and western blot assays. Gain- and loss-of-function studies were performed to observe the impacts of circRNA and its partners on the glycosylation, growth, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer cells. Results Circ-hnRNPU, an exonic circRNA derived from heterogenous nuclear ribonuclear protein U (hnRNPU), was identified to exert tumor suppressive roles in protein glycosylation and progression of gastric cancer. Mechanistically, circ-hnRNPU physically interacted with non-POU domain containing octamer binding (NONO) protein to induce its cytoplasmic retention, resulting in down-regulation of glycosyltransferases (GALNT2, GALNT6, MGAT1) and parental gene hnRNPU via repression of nuclear NONO-mediated c-Myc transactivation or cytoplasmic NONO-facilitated mRNA stability. Rescue studies indicated that circ-hnRNPU inhibited the N- and O-glycosylation, growth, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer cells via interacting with NONO protein. Pre-clinically, administration of lentivirus carrying circ-hnRNPU suppressed the protein glycosylation, tumorigenesis, and aggressiveness of gastric cancer xenografts. In clinical cases, low circ-hnRNPU levels and high NONO or c-Myc expression were associated with poor survival outcome of gastric cancer patients. Conclusions These findings indicate that circ-hnRNPU inhibits NONO-mediated c-Myc transactivation and mRNA stabilization essential for glycosylation and cancer progression.

Using black bean, soybean and soybean meal as raw materials, soy sauce was prepared by high-salt dilution method. The quality indexes, functional components and antioxidant activities of the three soy sauce were detected by conventional methods and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and the correlation between antioxidant activities and functional components was analyzed. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed based on the functional components of soy sauce. The results showed that the sensory and physicochemical indexes of the three kinds of soy sauce all met the requirements of the first grade soy sauce in national standard GB 18186-2000 "Brewing Soy Sauce". The functional components of the three kinds of soy sauce (total phenols, total flavonoids, melanoid, total free polyphenols, total free flavonoids, total free amino acids) were 4.78~7.14 mgGAE/mL, 2.75~4.34 mgRE/mL, 1.25%~1.70%, 25.54~35.08 μg/mL, 11.37~20.20 μg/mL, 42.36~48.61 mg/mL, respectively. The antioxidant indexes (total antioxidant capacity, ABTS+ and DPPH free radical scavenging rate) were 24.27~605.57 U/mL, 6.43~8.57 mgVCE/mL and 3.53~5.30 mgVCE/mL, respectively. Except for free amino acids, the functional components contents and antioxidant activities of the three kinds of soy sauce were black soy sauce>soybean meal soy sauce>soybean soy sauce, and there were significant differences in antioxidant indexes among the three soy sauce (P

Background: Corebinding factor acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML) is the most common cytogenetic subtype of pediatric AML. CBF-AML is associated with a relatively favorable outcome, although the relapse rate of approximately 40% indicates a high degree of clinical heterogeneity. The clinical impact of additional cytogenetic aberrations, including c-KIT and CEBPA mutations, in pediatric CBF-AML has not been well characterized, especially in the multi-ethnic region of Yunnan Province in China. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, gene mutations, and prognoses of 72 pediatric patients newly diagnosed with non-M3 AML in Kunming Children's Hospital, China, from January 1, 2015 to May 31, 2020. Results: Of the 72 pediatric patients with AML, 46% (33/72) had CBF-AML. Thirteen patients with CBF-AML (39%) had c-KIT mutations, five (15%) had CEBPA mutations, and eleven (33.3%) had no other cytogenetic aberrations. The c-KIT mutations, resulting from single nucleotide substitutions and small insertions or deletions, occurred in exons 8 and 17. All of the CBF-AML-associated CEBPA mutations were single mutations and occurred in patients with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 fusion. We found no significant differences in the clinical data between CBF-AML patients with c-KIT or CEBPA mutations and CBF-AML patients without other aberrations, and no prognostic significance was established for these mutations. Conclusion: Our study is the first to report the clinical impact of c-KIT and CEBPA mutations in pediatric patients with non-M3 CBF-AML from the multi-ethnic Yunnan Province, China. c-KIT and CEBPA mutations occurred at a higher frequency in CBF-AML cases and were associated with unique clinical characteristics; however, no potential molecular prognostic markers were identified.

Ginseng has a long history of drug application in China, which can treat various diseases and achieve significant efficacy. Ginsenosides have always been deemed important ingredients for pharmacological activities. Based on the structural characteristics of steroidal saponins, ginsenosides are mainly divided into protopanaxadiol-type saponins (PDS, mainly including Rb1, Rb2, Rd, Rc, Rh2, CK, and PPD) and protopanaxatriol-type saponins (PTS, mainly including Re, R1, Rg1, Rh1, Rf, and PPT). The structure differences between PDS and PTS result in the differences of pharmacological activities. This paper provides an overview of PDS and PTS, mainly focusing on their chemical profile, pharmacokinetics, hydrolytic metabolism, and pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antifatigue, antiaging, immunodulation, antitumor, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, and antidiabetes. It is intended to contribute to an in-depth study of the relationship between PDS and PTS.

Objective To explore the influence of common methods of reducing non-viral nucleic acid on the abundance of plasma virus group. Methods Three kinds of library construction, five kinds of centrifugation conditions, two kinds of filters, four kinds of enzymes and four concentrations of chloroform were used to treat plasma samples added quantitatively 2.16 mL of pseudorabies virus(PRV) and 2.16 mL of porcine parvovirus(PPV). A total of 21.6 mL of plasma samples were processed, including 54 samples. Subsequently, nucleic acid was extracted, mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) and two viruses were quantitated, the library of the next generation sequencing was constructed, Illumina NovaSeq 6000 was used for the next generation sequencing. The sequencing data were compared with Kraken Py 2.0 software, and the species annotation analysis was conducted. The corresponding species classification information of each segment was obtained to analyze the impact of different reducing non-viral nucleic acid methods on the relative abundance of microorganisms and two indicator viruses. Results After sequencing by Illumina NovaSeq 6000, 306.27 GB raw data and 193.17 GB clean data were obtained, with Q20>90%, Q30>85%, Error Rate of 0.03%, and average GC Content of 45.02%. The DNA library construction process significantly increased the proportion of microbial sequences and the PRV abundance [(91.8±0.5)%](P

The basal plane dislocation (BPD) density is one of the most important defects affecting the application of SiC wafers. In this study, numerical simulations and corresponding experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of cooling processes, seed-bonding methods, and graphite crucible materials on the BPD density in an 8-inch N-type 4H-SiC single crystal grown by the physical vapor transport (PVT) method. The results showed that the BPD density could be effectively reduced by increasing the cooling rate, optimizing the seed-bonding method, and adopting a graphite crucible with a similar coefficient of thermal expansion as the SiC single crystal. The BPD density in the experiments showed that a high cooling rate reduced the BPD density from 4689 cm−2 to 2925 cm−2; optimization of the seed-bonding method decreased the BPD density to 1560 cm−2. The BPD density was further reduced to 704 cm−2 through the adoption of a graphite crucible with a smaller thermal expansion coefficient.

We theoretically demonstrate a scheme to generate circularly polarized (CP) isolated attosecond pulses (IAPs) with tunable helicity using a polarization gating laser field interacting with the CO molecule. The results show that a broadband CP supercontinuum is produced from the oriented CO molecule, which supports the generation of an IAP with an ellipticity of 0.98 and a duration of 90 as. Furthermore, the helicity of the generated harmonics and IAP can be effectively controlled by modulating the laser field and the orientation angle of the CO molecule. Our method will advance research on chiral-specific dynamics and magnetic circular dichroism on the attosecond timescale.

Acute liver injury is a common clinical disease, which easily leads to liver failure and endangers life, seriously threatening human health. Naringenin is a natural flavonoid that holds therapeutic potential against various liver injuries; however it has poor water solubility and bioavailability. In this study, we aimed to develop naringenin-loaded bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (NGNPs) and to evaluate their hepatoprotective effect and underlying mechanisms against acetaminophen overdose toxicity. In vitro data indicated that NGNPs significantly increased the drug solubility and also more effectively protected the hepatocyte cells from oxidative damage during hydrogen peroxide exposure or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. In vivo results confirmed that NGNPs showed an enhanced accumulation in the liver tissue. In the murine model of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity, NGNPs could effectively alleviate the progression of acute liver injury by reducing drug overdose-induced levels of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in hepatocytes. In conclusion, NGNPs has strong hepatoprotective effects against acetaminophen induced acute liver injury.

Abstract Mammalian oogenesis features reliance on the mRNAs produced and stored during early growth phase. These are essential for producing an oocyte competent to undergo meiotic maturation and embryogenesis later when oocytes are transcriptionally silent. The fate of maternal mRNAs hence ensures the success of oogenesis and the quality of the resulting eggs. Nevertheless, how the fate of maternal mRNAs is determined remains largely elusive. RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) are crucial regulators of oogenesis, yet the identity of the full complement of RBPs expressed in oocytes is unknown. Here, a global view of oocyte‐expressed RBPs is presented: mRNA‐interactome capture identifies 1396 RBPs in mouse oocytes. An analysis of one of these RBPs, LSM family member 14 (LSM14B), demonstrates that this RBP is specific to oocytes and associated with many networks essential for oogenesis. Deletion of Lsm14b results in female‐specific infertility and a phenotype characterized by oocytes incompetent to complete meiosis and early embryogenesis. LSM14B serves as an interaction hub for proteins and mRNAs throughout oocyte development and regulates translation of a subset of its bound mRNAs. Therefore, RNP complexes tethered by LSM14B are found exclusively in oocytes and are essential for the control of maternal mRNA fate and oocyte development.

Between 7 December 2022 and 28 February 2023, China experienced a new wave of COVID-19 that swept across the entire country and resulted in an increasing amount of respiratory infections and hospitalizations. The purpose of this study is to reveal the intensity and composition of coinfecting microbial agents. In total, 196 inpatients were recruited from The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, and 169 respiratory and 73 blood samples were collected for metagenomic next-generation sequencing. The total “Infectome” was characterized and compared across different groups defined by the SARS-CoV-2 detection status, age groups, and severity of disease. Our results revealed a total of 22 species of pathogenic microbes (4 viruses, 13 bacteria, and 5 fungi), and more were discovered in the respiratory tract than in blood. The diversity of the total infectome was highly distinguished between respiratory and blood samples, and it was generally higher in patients that were SARS-CoV-2-positive, older in age, and with more severe disease. At the individual pathogen level, HSV-1 seemed to be the major contributor to these differences observed in the overall comparisons. Collectively, this study reveals the highly complex respiratory infectome and high-intensity coinfection in patients admitted to the hospital during the period of the 2023 COVID-19 pandemic in China.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), which generally possesses a graphene-like two-dimensional layered structure and unique physicochemical and electrical properties, is an emerging material to next-generation high-energy-density storage beyond the reach of current anode technologies. However, pristine layered MoS2 suffers from low conductivity and poor cycle stability, thus hindering its development in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, we prepare a self-assembled MoS2 nano-particle structure induced by 1-dodecanethiol (DDT) through a bottom-up approach. The superior rate and high capacity of LIBs are attributed to the large specific surface area (64.29 m2 g−1) and short internal distance, giving rise to the pseudocapacitance and diffusion-controlled process in the electrochemical behavior, respectively. In situ Raman, Density Function Theory (DFT) calculation and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verify the conversion from MoS2 to Mo in the lithiation process, and the strong binding energy between Mo and LiF contributes to a stable solid electrolyte interphase during Li+ intercalation/de-intercalation reversible process. The cell using MoS2 nano-particles anode delivers a preferable discharge capacity of 600 mA h g−1 after 1000 cycles at the current density of 1.0 A g−1 than commercial and recently reported MoS2 anodes. This work inspires the development of nano-structure for resistance to large-volume expansion/shrinkage and high stability.

Abstract Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have become star products in wireless electronic equipment, new energy vehicles and many other fields due to their advantages of high energy density, light weight, good stability, high charging‐discharging efficiency, long service life and environmental friendliness. The separator is an indispensable part of batteries that does not participate in electrochemical reactions, separating the anode and cathode. It has a microporous structure, which can store electrolyte and allow ions to transfer freely. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)‐based separators are characterized by strong polarity, high dielectric constant, stable electrochemical performance, excellent tensile properties and mechanical strength, favorable thermal stability and wettability. Therefore, they are proposed to be potential candidates for novel separators in the field of LIBs. This review introduces the recent researches and advances in PVDF‐based separators for LIBs, with the characterizations and requirements for separators. It is mainly divided into the two types including monolayer and multilayer separators. Furthermore, the performance of the PVDF‐based separators is summarized, and the challenges and prospects in their practical application are briefly analyzed.

Auricularia heimuer (A. heimuer F. Wu, B. K. Cui, Y. C. Dai), a well-known gelatinous fungus used for both food and medicine, is a major edible fungus with a more than 1000-year history of cultivation in China. The nutrients of A. heimuer are abundant, including polysaccharides, melanin, mineral elements, etc. The A. heimuer polysaccharides exhibit antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties. A. heimuer is a completely different species grown in China, unlike Auricularia auricula-judae (Bull.) Quel, which was used to characterize it. The cultivated strain varies based on the local climatic factors and cultivation practices. Hardwood chips are the primary material utilized in the cultivation of substitute materials, which is the principal cultivation technique. However, in actual production, straw is frequently replaced for some wood chips to address the issue of a lack of wood. There are three different types of growing techniques: open-air ground cultivation, arch cultivation, and shed-type hanging substitute cultivation of these three, the quality of A. heimuer grown in a shed is superior to that grown in an open-air environment. The A. heimuer genome sequencing project started later than expected, and the entire genome sequencing was not finished until 2019. A. heimuer’s molecular biology studies have mostly concentrated on analyzing genetic diversity and identifying cultivars using molecular markers including RAPD, ISSR, and ITS. There have only been a small number of studies on the function of A. heimuer genes, which have only focused on the preliminary cloning and expression study of a few genes, including the laccase gene and the triterpene compound production gene, among others. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive information concerning A. heimuer, necessitating a synopsis. To our knowledge, this is the first published review of A. heimuer, and it summarizes the most recent studies on its molecular biology and cultivation. This review can serve as a guide for future research on the fungus.

ObjectivesThe evolution of the equipment maintenance and support system of warships is the result of internal and external factors. Based on an analysis of the evolution dynamic mechanism and system dynamics theory, an evolution model of the warship equipment maintenance and support system is established, and the evolution trends and key factors of the system are simulated and analyzed.MethodsThe model is quantified on the basis of the hypothesis, and the evolution process and sensitivity analysis of the system are carried out using the simulation tool Anylogic. resultsThe results show that the evolution of the maintenance and support system of warship equipment presents an increasing trend in an S-shaped curve. At the beginning of the evolution, the scale of the system grows slowly and the cost of completing tasks is high. It is necessary to increase the proportion of maintenance hardware and personnel investment at the same time in the early stages of system evolution, then increase the proportion of personnel investment in the transition period. In the middle and late stages of system evolution, measures such as increasing the participation of maintenance personnel in equipment development and design can improve the marginal benefits of investment and flexibility of maintenance organization while also bringing greater evolution benefits.ConclusionsThis evolution simulation method based on system dynamics can provide support for the capability evaluation and key investment directions of the equipment maintenance and support system of warships.

Cross-relaxation between neighbouring emitters usually limits the brightness of luminescence due to self-quenching. Here, the authors present single upconversion nanoparticle lasing where the cross relaxation modulates the brightness and ultra-low threshold lasing is achieved.

Ginsenosides from ginseng are used as a therapeutic agent for various diseases. They enhance the immunomodulatory effect in cyclophosphamide (CP)-treated tumor disease. The structural characteristics of steroidal saponins are mainly divided into protopanaxadiol-type saponin (PDS) and protopanaxatriol-type saponin (PTS). At present, few researchers have studied which kind of saponin plays a more important role, thus, we compared the prevention effect of PDS and PTS on myelosuppression mice induced by CP. The components and contents of saponin and monosaccharide were analyzed by using ultra high performance liquid chromatography-charged aerosol detector (UPLC-CAD) and reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), respectively. Thirty-two mice were randomly divided into four groups, including control, model (CP), CP+PDS, and CP+PTS. The mice were orally administered with PDS or PTS for 28 days and then injected with CP saline solution on 25, 26, 27, and 28 days at a dose of 50 mg × kg−1. After the end of modeling, the whole blood of mice from the ophthalmic venous plexus was collected to detect routine blood tests, inflammatory cytokines, and hematopoiesis-related cytokines. Cell cycle and the apoptosis of bone marrow in the right femur were detected. The spleen and thymus were used to calculate the organ index and histological examination, and splenocytes were used to detect the percentage of CD4+ and CD25+ T cells. In the saponins analysis, PDS mainly included the Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rd of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides (accounted for 91.64%), and PTS mainly included the Re, Rg1, and Rf of protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides (accounted for 75.46%). The animal results showed that both PDS and PTS improved the most indicators of myelosuppression mice induced by CP, including increased weight, blood cell numbers, hematopoiesis-related cytokines, and inflammatory cytokines; promoted the cell cycle of bone marrow and inhibited the apoptosis of bone marrow; elevated the spleen and thymus indexes and CD4+ count of splenocytes. The prevention effect of PDS was better than PTS in some indicators, such as red blood cells, hemoglobin, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, CD4+, and thymus index. These results suggest both PDS and PTS can prevent myelosuppression of mice induced by CP. Meanwhile, PDS and its metabolite showed higher bioavailability and bioactivity compared with PTS.

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains as one of the major public health problems in the world. Type I interferon (IFN) plays an essential role in antiviral defense by induced expression of a few hundred interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), including ubiquitin-specific protease 18 (USP18). The expression level of USP18 was elevated in the pretreatment liver tissues of chronic hepatitis B(CHB) patients who did not respond to IFN treatment. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the effects of USP18 on HBV replication/production. Methods The levels of wild type USP18(WT-USP18) and USP18 catalytically inactive form C64S were up-regulated by plasmids transfection in HepAD38 cells, respectively. Real-time PCR and ELISA were used to quantify HBV replication. Type I IFN signaling pathway was monitored at three levels: p-STAT1 (western Blot), interferon stimulated response element (ISRE) activity (dual luciferase assay) and ISGs expression (real time PCR). Results Our data demonstrated that overexpression of either WT-USP18 or USP18-C64S inactive mutant increased the intracellular viral pgRNA, total DNA, cccDNA, as well as HBV DNA levels in the culture supernatant, while silencing USP18 led to opposite effect on HBV production. In addition, upregulated WT-USP18 or USP18-C64S suppressed ISRE activity and the expression levels of p-STAT1 and ISGs. Conclusion USP18 promoted HBV replication via inhibiting type I IFN signaling pathway, which was independent of its protease activity.

Abstract Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have aroused extensive interest in the field of energy storage owing to the ultrahigh anode capacity. However, strong solvation of Li+ and slow interfacial ion transfer associated with conventional electrolytes limit their long‐cycle and high‐rate capabilities. Herein an electrolyte system based on fluoroalkyl ether 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl‐1,1,2,3,3,3‐hexafluoropropyl ether (THE) and ether electrolytes is designed to effectively upgrade the long‐cycle and high‐rate performances of LMBs. THE owns large adsorption energy with ether‐based solvents, thus reducing Li+ interaction and solvation in ether electrolytes. With THE rich in fluoroalkyl groups adjacent to oxygen atoms, the electrolyte owns ultrahigh polarity, enabling solvation‐free Li+ transfer with a substantially decreased energy barrier and ten times enhancement in Li+ transference at the electrolyte/anode interface. In addition, the uniform adsorption of fluorine‐rich THE on the anode and subsequent LiF formation suppress dendrite formation and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase layer. With the electrolyte, the lithium metal battery with a LiFePO4 cathode delivers unprecedented cyclic performances with only 0.0012% capacity loss per cycle over 5000 cycles at 10 C. Such enhancement is consistently observed for LMBs with other mainstream electrodes including LiCoO2 and LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2, suggesting the generality of the electrolyte design for battery applications.

Shigella flexneri is a serious threat to global public health, and a rapid detection method is urgently needed. The CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated) system is widely used in gene editing, gene therapy, and in vitro diagnosis. Here, we combined loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and CRISPR/Cas12a to develop a novel diagnostic test (CRISPR/Cas12a-E-LAMP) for the diagnosis of S. flexneri. The CRISPR/Cas12a-E-LAMP protocol conducts LAMP reaction for S. flexneri templates followed by CRISPR/Cas12a detection of predefined target sequences. LAMP primers and sgRNAs were designed to the highly conserved gene hypothetical protein (accession: AE014073, region: 4170556–4171,068) of S. flexneri. After the LAMP reaction at 60°C for 20 min, the pre-loaded CRISPR/Cas12a regents were mixed with the LAMP products in one tube at 37°C for 20 min, and the final results can be viewed by naked eyes with a total time of 40 min. The sensitivity of CRISPR/Cas12a-E-LAMP to detect S. flexneri was 4 × 100 copies/μl plasmids and without cross-reaction with other six closely related non-S. flexneri. Therefore, the CRISPR/Cas12a-E-LAMP assay is a useful method for the reliable and quick diagnosis of S. flexneri and may be applied in other pathogen infection detection.

High-voltage lithium metal batteries (HVLMBs) have been arguably regarded as the most prospective solution to ultrahigh-density energy storage devices beyond the reach of current technologies. Electrolyte, the only component inside the HVLMBs in contact with both aggressive cathode and Li anode, is expected to maintain stable electrode/electrolyte interfaces (EEIs) and facilitate reversible Li+ transference. Unfortunately, traditional electrolytes with narrow electrochemical windows fail to compromise the catalysis of high-voltage cathodes and infamous reactivity of the Li metal anode, which serves as a major contributor to detrimental electrochemical performance fading and thus impedes their practical applications. Developing stable electrolytes is vital for the further development of HVLMBs. However, optimization principles, design strategies, and future perspectives for the electrolytes of the HVLMBs have not been summarized in detail. This review first gives a systematical overview of recent progress in the improvement of traditional electrolytes and the design of novel electrolytes for the HVLMBs. Different strategies of conventional electrolyte modification, including high concentration electrolytes and CEI and SEI formation with additives, are covered. Novel electrolytes including fluorinated, ionic-liquid, sulfone, nitrile, and solid-state electrolytes are also outlined. In addition, theoretical studies and advanced characterization methods based on the electrolytes of the HVLMBs are probed to study the internal mechanism for ultrahigh stability at an extreme potential. It also foresees future research directions and perspectives for further development of electrolytes in the HVLMBs.

Objectives: To determine the short- and medium-term therapeutic effects of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on restless legs syndrome (RLS) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to study the optimal position of activated contacts for RLS symptoms. Methods: We preoperatively and postoperatively assessed PD Patients with RLS undergoing STN-DBS. Additionally, we recorded the stimulation parameters that induced RLS or relieved RLS symptoms during a follow-up. Finally, we reconstructed the activated contacts’ position that reduced or induced RLS symptoms. Results: 363 PD patients were enrolled. At the 1-year follow-up, we found that the IRLS sum significantly decreased in the RLS group (preoperative 18.758 ± 7.706, postoperative 8.121 ± 7.083, p < 0.05). The results of the CGI score, MOS sleep, and RLS QLQ all showed that the STN-DBS improved RLS symptoms after one year. Furthermore, the activated contacts that relieved RLS were mainly located in the central sensorimotor region of the STN. Activated contacts in the inferior sensorimotor part of the STN or in the substantia nigra might have induced RLS symptoms. Conclusions: STN-DBS improved RLS in patients with PD in one year, which reduced their sleep disorders and increased their quality of life. Furthermore, the central sensorimotor region part of the STN is the optimal stimulation site.

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the level of medical students’ self-directed learning (SDL) ability in mainland China and to identify its modifiable influencing factors for medical educators to take measures to improve medical professionals’ ability in SDL.Design This was a cross-sectional study conducted between January and June 2019.Setting This study involved students from five medical colleges located in the cities of Shenyang, Binzhou, Xuzhou, Shanghai and Guangzhou of mainland China.Participants Participants included 365 medical students and residents sampled by the stratified clustered random method from five medical colleges.Methods The t-test, F-test and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to test the association between personal and contextual factors of medical students and SDL.Results The mean total SDL score was 76.12 (SD=10.96), implying that Chinese mainland medical students had moderate SDL ability. A univariate analysis found that the personal characteristics of confidence, students’ enjoyment of their specialty, utilisation of library resources, learning goals and habits and academic performance as well as the contextual factors of age, gender, learning resources, family income and group discussion were significantly associated with the total SDL score (p

Background: 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) is the cornerstone of current antileukemia regimen and contributes greatly to improve the survival of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. However, 6-MP dose-related toxicities limit its application. TPMT, NUDT15, and ITPA are pharmacogenetic markers predicting 6-MP-related toxicities, but their genetic polymorphisms differ from those of ethnic populations. In Yunnan province, a multiethnic region of China, we had no genetic data to predict 6-MP toxicities. In this study, we evaluated the most common variants involved in 6-MP metabolism—TPMT*3C (rs1142345), NUDT15 c.415C>T (rs116855232), and ITPA c.94C>A (rs1127354) variants—in our cohort of pediatric ALL patients.Methods: A total of 149 pediatric ALL patients in the Affiliated Children's Hospital of Kunming Medical University (Yunnan Children's Medical Center) from 2017 to 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective study. We assessed the TPMT*3C (rs1142345), NUDT15 c.415C>T (rs116855232), and ITPA c.94C>A (rs1127354) frequencies and evaluated association between genotypes and 6-MP toxicities, 6-MP dose, and event-free survival (EFS) in these ALL patients.Results: The allele frequencies of TPMT*3C (rs1142345), NUDT15 c.415C>T (rs116855232), and ITPA c.94C>A (rs1127354) were 1.34%, 14.43%, and 18.79%, respectively. Only NUDT15 c.415C>T (rs116855232) was strongly associated with 6-MP toxicity and 6-MP tolerable dose. NUDT15 c.415C>T was related to leukopenia, p = 0.008, OR = 2.743 (95% CI: 1.305–5.768). The T allele was significantly correlated with 6-MP tolerable dose, dose of NUDT15 c.415C>T wild genotype CC 39.80 ± 1.32 mg/m2, heterozygotes CT 35.20 ± 2.29 mg/m2, and homozygotes TT 18.95 ± 3.95 mg/m2. 6-MP tolerable dose between CC and TT had a significant difference, p = 0.009. Between CC and CT, and CT and TT, they had no significant difference. EFS showed no significant difference among NUDT15 c.415C>T genotypes.Conclusion:NUDT15 c.415C>T (rs116855232) was an optimal predictor for 6-MP toxicity and tolerable dose in pediatric ALL patients from Yunnan province, a multiethnic region in China, and would play an important role in precise therapy for ALL.

Scintillation detection has attracted great interest in nuclear medicine, nuclear radiation detection, high-energy physics, and non-destructive inspection. The elpasolite crystals with Ce3+ dopants are promising for these endeavors due to their modest light yield and extremely good proportionality when excited by the gamma ray. Moreover, the 6Li and 35Cl isotopes in elpasolite crystals endow them with excellent neutron detection capability. These features allow not only a high energy resolution but also a high detection sensitivity. The elpasolite scintillators also enable the precisely dual detection of gamma/neutron signals through pulse height discrimination (PHD) or pulse shape discrimination (PSD). In this work, we review recent investigations on using the typical elpasolite scintillators, including Ce3+-doped Cs2LiYCl6 (CLYC), Cs2LiLaCl6 (CLLC), and Cs2LiLaBr6 (CLLB), for the monitoring of gamma rays and neutrons. The scintillation properties, detection mechanism, and elpasolite crystal structure are also discussed with the aim of improving high-energy ray detection ability.

Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a very common health problem worldwide and a major cause of disability. Yet, the lack of quantifiable metrics on which to base clinical decisions leads to imprecise treatments, unnecessary surgery and reduced patient outcomes. Although, the focus of LBP has largely focused on the spine, the literature demonstrates a robust reorganization of the human brain in the setting of LBP. Brain neuroimaging holds promise for the discovery of biomarkers that will improve the treatment of chronic LBP. In this study, we report on morphological changes in cerebral cortical thickness (CT) and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) measures as potential brain biomarkers for LBP. Structural MRI scans, resting state functional MRI scans and self-reported clinical scores were collected from 24 LBP patients and 27 age-matched healthy controls (HC). The results suggest widespread differences in CT in LBP patients relative to HC. These differences in CT are correlated with self-reported clinical summary scores, the Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary scores. The primary visual, secondary visual and default mode networks showed significant age-corrected increases in connectivity with multiple networks in LBP patients. Cortical regions classified as hubs based on their eigenvector centrality (EC) showed differences in their topology within motor and visual processing regions. Finally, a support vector machine trained using CT to classify LBP subjects from HC achieved an average classification accuracy of 74.51%, AUC = 0.787 (95% CI: 0.66–0.91). The findings from this study suggest widespread changes in CT and rsFC in patients with LBP while a machine learning algorithm trained using CT can predict patient group. Taken together, these findings suggest that CT and rsFC may act as potential biomarkers for LBP to guide therapy.

The ZnGeP2 crystal is a material of choice for powerful mid-IR optical parametric oscillators and amplifiers. In this paper, we present the experimental analysis of the optical damage threshold of ZnGeP2 nonlinear crystals induced by a repetitively-pulsed Ho3+:YAG laser at 2091 nm. Two types of ZnGeP2 crystals grown under different conditions were examined using the laser and holographic techniques. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) determined by the pulse fluence or peak intensity was studied as a function of the pulse repetition rate (PRR) and laser exposure duration. The main crystal structure factor for a higher LIDT was found to be a reduced dislocation density of crystal lattice. The ZnGeP2 nonlinear crystals characterized by the high structural perfection with low density of dislocations and free from twinning and stacking faults were measured to have a 3.5 J/cm2 pulse fluence damage threshold and 10.5 MW/cm2 peak intensity damage threshold at 12 kHz PRR; at 40 kHz PRR the pulse fluence damage threshold increased to over 6 J/cm2, but the peak intensity damage threshold dropped to 5.5 MW/cm2.

Background Regulating T-cell metabolism is crucial for their anticancer activity. Therefore, understanding the function and metabolism of human tumor-infiltrating T cells is of broad interest and clinical importance.Methods CD3+CD45+ T cells were sorted from adjacent area or tumor core of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), then the clusters and heterogeneity of T cells were further interrogated by single-cell transcriptomic profiling. 118 surgical samples from patients with HCC were histologically examined for infiltration of CD8+ T cells in tumor and adjacent tissue.Results Single-cell transcriptomic profiling indicated that several exhausted T-cell (Tex) populations differentially coexisted in the tumor and adjacent tissue. CD137 identifies and enriches Tex with superior effector functions and proliferation capacity. Furthermore, enhanced fatty acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) expression along with increased mitochondrial oxidative metabolism were evident in these CD137-enriched Tex. Inhibiting FABP5 expression and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation impaired the anti-apoptosis and proliferation of CD137-enriched Tex. These observations have been verified by generating CD137 CART. Immunohistochemistry staining on the tissue microarray of 118 patients with HCC showed intra-tumoral FABP5 high CD8+ T-cell infiltration was linked to overall and recurrence-free survival.Conclusions The tumor microenvironment can impose metabolic restrictions on T-cell function. CD137, a costimulatory molecule highly expressed on some Tex, uses exogenous fatty acids and oxidative metabolism to mediate antitumor immunity. The immunometabolic marker FABP5 should be investigated in larger, longitudinal studies to determine their potential as prognostic biomarkers for HCC.

Objective This study aimed to analyze the risk factors of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after deep brain stimulation (DBS) for idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods Patients who received DBS from March 2014 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The hemorrhage index was derived by combining the hemorrhagic volume and clinical manifestations of ICH. All patients with IHC were followed up for 2 years. Results Computed tomography showed 13 events of ICH in 11 patients (nine cases in the subthalamic nucleus), including eight cases with symptomatic hemorrhage (seven cases in the subthalamic nucleus). Hemorrhage was characterized by intracranial hematoma in the electrode puncture tract. Male sex and hypertension were significant risk factors for ICH. Hemorrhage in the preferred puncture side was significantly higher than that in the non-preferred puncture side. The mean hemorrhage index was 2.23 ± 0.83 in 11 patients, and no permanent neurological impairment was found during the 2-year follow-up. The effect of DBS on motor symptoms was similar in patients with and without ICH. Conclusion Male sex and hypertension are risk factors of ICH after DBS in PD. The risk of hemorrhage on the first puncture site is significantly higher than that on the second puncture site.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was recently recognized as a new tauopathy in which multifocal perivascular phosphorylated tau aggregates accumulate in neurons, astrocytes, and neurites at the depths of the cortical sulci. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in early or mid-life is known to be associated with an increased risk of dementia in late life. This case report describes a 93-year-old former street boxer with a premortem diagnosis of severe dementia, who showed pathological evidence of the coexistence of Alzheimer's disease, CTE, dementia with Lewy bodies, and hippocampal sclerosis with TDP-43 pathology. These findings suggest that TBI may trigger a variety of misfolded proteins leading to dementia. Currently, clear clinical diagnostic criteria for CTE have not been established. Therefore, clinicians should be aware that TBI is a risk factor for dementia and that CTE can overlap with other neurodegenerative diseases.

Thymocytes are screened by two processes, termed positive and negative selections, which are permissive only for immature thymocytes with intermediate avidity to the selecting ligands. Here the authors show that the nuclear receptor NCoR1 suppresses Bim1 to inhibit negative selection and promote thymocyte survival.

In order to promote the scientific standardization of Tai-chi-chuan teaching and training, a Tai-chi-chuan auxiliary training system based on Kinect motion capture technology and extraction of the angle feature and speed feature is proposed and designed. The dynamic time planning algorithm (DTW) sampling corresponding frame is applied to replace the traditional method of sampling the key frame. The auxiliary training system consists of learning module, action acquisition module and action scoring module. Learning module with stan-dard action teaching video, to meet the requirements of students learning; action acquisition module uses Microsoft developed Kinect equipment to realize data acquisition of the spatial coordinates of the human skeleton in Tai-chi-chuan action, and through filtered noise reduction and the occlusion point data processing the skeleton data is saved. The scoring module constructs the test sequence based on the 16 angle features of eight key joint nodes and the instantaneous velocity characteristics of 20 joint nodes. By comparing with the standard sequence in real time, the original scoring rules is used to achieve the scoring function, which provides students with intuitive and reliable training recommendations, so as to improve the efficiency of learning. By increasing the number of sensors, further designing and optimizing data fusion and filtering algorithm, combining with Microsoft’s Kinect2.0 version, the system can also be applied to medical rehabilitation, physical training analysis and evaluation, virtual reality and human-computer interaction, etc.

Objectives. To analyze the hyperhidrosis neural network structure induced by subthalamic nucleus (STN) - deep brain stimulation (DBS). Materials and Methods. Patients with Parkinson’s disease treated with STN-DBS in Changhai Hospital between July 1, 2015, and December 1, 2016, were analyzed retrospectively. Using records of side effects of the intraoperative macrostimulation test, patients with skin sweats were selected as the sweating group. Based on the number of cases in the sweating group, the same number of patients was randomly selected from other STN-DBS patients without sweating to form the control group. The study standardized electrode position with Lead-DBS software to Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) standard stereotactic space to compare the differences in three-dimensional coordinates of activated contacts between groups. Results. Of 355 patients, 11 patients had sweats during intraoperative macrostimulation tests. There was no significant difference in the preoperative baseline information and the postoperative UPDRS-III improvement rate (Med-off, IPG-on) between groups. Contacts inducing sweat were more medial (X-axis) (11.02 ± 0.69 mm vs 11.98 ± 0.84 mm, P=0.00057) and more upward (Z-axis) (−7.15 ± 1.06 mm VS −7.98 ± 1.21 mm, P=0.032) than those of the control group. The straight-line distance between the center of the sweat contact and the nearest voxel of the red nucleus was closer than that of the control group (2.72 ± 0.65 mm VS 3.76 ± 0.85 mm, P=0.00012). Conclusions. STN-DBS-induced sweat indicated that the contact was at superior medial of STN.

The paper defined the laser-induced damage threshold from the fluence and the peak power of GaSe and GaSe:In single crystals upon exposure to nanosecond radiation in the two micron range and assessed the influence of test radiation energy parameters (pulse repetition rate, pulse duration) on the damage threshold. Laser-induced damage threshold was determined with the parameters of the incident radiation close to the pump radiation parameters of promising dual-wavelength optical parametric oscillators (effective pump sources for THz difference frequency oscillators): wavelength was ≈2.1 μm; pulse repetition rates were 10, 12, 14, and 20 kHz; and pulse durations were 15, 18, 20, and 22 ns. The obtained results made it possible to conclude that the value of GaSe damage threshold at a wavelength of 2.091 μm of the incident radiation was influenced by the accumulation effects (the damage threshold decreased as the pulse repetition rate increased). The accumulation effects were more significant in the case of the In-doped sample, since a more significant decrease in the damage threshold was observed with increasing frequency in terms of the peak power and the fluence.

In order to deeply explore the influencing factors of corporate safety behavior management efficacy, this paper utilizes Chinese engineering corporations as research objects, the paper explores the impact of corporate safety culture and safety training investment on corporate safety management effectiveness, also the interacting impact of f corporate safety culture and safety training investment on corporate safety management efficacy. The empirical results show that corporate safety culture and safety training investment both have a positive impact on corporate safety management effectiveness, also the interacting effect is positive. The research in this paper therefore provides new solutions and perspective for improving the effectiveness of corporate security behavior management, which has great significance for management practice.

Background: 2′, 5′-oligoadenylate synthetase 2 (OAS2) has been known as an antiviral interferon-stimulated gene (ISG). However, the role of OAS2 on Zika virus (ZIKV) replication is still unknown. In this study, we sought to explore the effect of OAS2 on ZIKV replication and its underlying mechanism. Methods: We performed RNA-Seq in A549 cells with or without ZIKV infection. OAS2 or RIG-I was overexpressed by plasmid transfection or knocked down by siRNA in A549 cells. Expression levels of mRNA and protein of selected genes were detected by RT-qPCR and Western Blot, respectively. Interferon stimulated response element (ISRE) activity was examined by dual luciferase assay. Results: We found that ZIKV infection induced OAS2 expression through a RIG-I-dependent pathway. OAS2 overexpression inhibited ZIKV replication, while OAS2 knockdown increased ZIKV replication. We observed that OAS2 inhibited ZIKV replication through enhanced IFNβ expression, leading to the activation of the Jak/STAT signaling pathway. Conclusion: ZIKV infection induced OAS2 expression, which in turn exerted its anti-ZIKV activities through the IFN-activated Jak/STAT signaling pathway.

Many studies on cracked rotors developed crack breathing models that assume that the neutral axis of bending always remains horizontal for simplification. These models may generate significant discrepancies and thus there is a need to develop more sophisticated models to look into the shifting of the neutral axis for a cracked rotor. Herein, a case study on the shifting of the neutral axis for a cracked rotor is firstly performed by using a three-dimensional finite element model to confirm that the neutral axis becomes inclined as the cracked rotor rotates. In response to this finding, non-symmetric bending principles are used to develop a new crack breathing model which has the advantage of being able to numerically calculate the inclination angle of the neutral axis. When compared to an existing crack model in the literature that assumes that the neutral axis remains horizontal (HNA model), the proposed model is relatively less stiff in bending as a result of an overall lower area moment of inertia. Using the harmonic balance method, a two-dimensional finite element vibration model of a cracked rotor was devised by employing the proposed crack breathing model and the HNA model for validation. It can be found that the vibration amplitudes of the first three frequency components are similar between the two models for shallow cracks and significantly differed for deep cracks. This result highlights the potential of the proposed model for modelling and detecting mid-to-late-stage cracks in rotors.

Photovoltaic cells are able to convert sunlight into electricity, providing enough of the most abundant and cleanest energy to cover our energy needs. However, the efficiency of current photovoltaics is significantly impeded by the transmission loss of sub-band-gap photons. Photon upconversion is a promising route to circumvent this problem by converting these transmitted sub-band-gap photons into above-band-gap light, where solar cells typically have high quantum efficiency. Here, we summarize recent progress on varying types of efficient upconversion materials as well as their outstanding uses in a series of solar cells, including silicon solar cells (crystalline and amorphous), gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, and other types of solar cells. The challenge and prospect of upconversion materials for photovoltaic applications are also discussed

Hexagonal NaYF4:Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ microcrystals and nanocrystals with well-defined morphologies and sizes have been synthesized via a hydrothermal route. The rational control of initial reaction conditions can not only result in upconversion (UC) micro and nanocrystals with varying morphologies, but also can produce enhanced and tailored upconversion emissions from the Yb3+/Er3+ ion pairs sensitized by the Nd3+ ions. The increase of reaction time converts the phase of NaYF4:Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ particles from the cubic to the hexagonal structure. The added amount of oleic acid plays a critical role in the shape evolution of the final products due to their preferential attachment to some crystal planes. The adjustment of the molar ratio of F−/Ln3+ can range the morphologies of the β-NaYF4:Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ microcrystals from spheres to nanorods. When excited by 808 nm infrared laser, β-NaYF4:Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ microplates exhibit a much stronger UC emission intensity than particles with other morphologies. This phase- and morphology-dependent UC emission holds promise for applications in photonic devices and biological studies.

The luminescence efficiency of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles is of particular importance for their embodiment in biophotonic and photonic applications. Here, we show that the upconversion luminescence of typically used NaYF4:Yb3+30%/Tm3+0.5% nanoparticles can be enhanced by ~240 times through a hierarchical active core/active shell/inert shell (NaYF4:Yb3+30%/Tm3+0.5%)/NaYbF4/NaYF4 design, which involves the use of directed energy migration in the second active shell layer. The resulting active core/active shell/inert shell nanoparticles are determined to be about 11 times brighter than that of well-investigated (NaYF4:Yb3+30%/Tm3+0.5%)/NaYF4 active core/inert shell nanoparticles when excited at ~980 nm. The strategy for enhanced upconversion in Yb3+/Tm3+-codoped NaYF4 nanoparticles through directed energy migration might have implications for other types of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles.

We previously identified that miR-130a downregulates HCV replication through two independent pathways: restoration of host immune responses and regulation of pyruvate metabolism. In this study, we further sought to explore host antiviral target genes regulated by miR-130a. We performed a RT² Profiler™ PCR array to identify the host antiviral genes regulated by miR-130a. The putative binding sites between miR-130a and its downregulated genes were predicted by miRanda. miR-130a and predicted target genes were over-expressed or knocked down by siRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 gRNA. Selected gene mRNAs and their proteins, together with HCV replication in JFH1 HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cells were monitored by qRT-PCR and Western blot. We identified 32 genes that were significantly differentially expressed more than 1.5-fold following miR-130a overexpression, 28 of which were upregulated and 4 downregulated. We found that ATG5, a target gene for miR-130a, significantly upregulated HCV replication and downregulated interferon stimulated gene expression. miR-130a downregulated ATG5 expression and its conjugation complex with ATG12. ATG5 and ATG5-ATG12 complex affected interferon stimulated gene (ISG) such as MX1 and OAS3 expression and subsequently HCV replication. We concluded that miR-130a regulates host antiviral response and HCV replication through targeting ATG5 via the ATG5-dependent autophagy pathway.

High hydrostatic pressure has been used to inactivate pathogens in foods for decades. There is a great potential to adapt this technology to inactivate pathogens in plasma and derivatives. To better evaluate the potential of this method, pathogen inoculated plasma samples were pressurized under different pressure application modes and temperatures. The inactivation efficacy of pathogens and activities of plasma proteins were monitored after treatment. The CFUs of E.coli was examined as the indicator of the inactivation efficiency. The factor V and VIII were chosen as the indicator of the plasma function. Preliminary experiments identified optimized treatment conditions: 200-250MPa, with 5×1 minute multi-pulsed high pressure at near 0°C (ice-water bath). Under this conditions, the inactivation efficacy of EMCV was >8.5log. The CFUs of E. coli were reduced by 7.5log, B. cereus were 8log. However, PPV and S. aureus cannot be inactivated efficiently. The activities of factor II, VII, IX, X, XI, XII, fibrinogen, IgG, IgM stayed over 95% compared to untreated. Factor V and VIII activity was maintained at 46-63% and 77-82%, respectively.